Luly Kaye Shreds Singletrack with NICA… And Bikepacks on the Side!

I met Luly Kaye last summer at Pennsylvania’s NICA GRiT camp where 50 young women came together to practice their mountain biking skills, compete in wheelie competitions, and honestly just have fun hanging out at summer camp. Luly was the girl who got up early to sneak in an extra ride, and was more than happy to compare notes on how to do the most efficient skid or handstand in the field. She’s a mountain biker during the summer, though she has finally started to dabble in cyclocross, and got her start in bikepacking… All that, of course, is when she’s not skiing in the winter! How does she combine all of the things? We talk about it here.

Why did you start riding bikes?

My parents actually forced me at first because my brother did it and they did it, but I didn’t. I really started enjoying it when we lived in Spain for my 6th grade year. I went to a non-bilingual elementary school and I didn’t really have any friends. Mountain biking/bikepacking were probably the only thing I had to look forward to for most of the year. Plus, Spain is beautiful so that really helped.

What was your favorite part / what made you decide, ‘yeah, I love riding’?

There were probably two moments. For biking in general, it was also in Spain. We were doing a weekend overnight in the spring and the weather was beautiful and we were riding through all these almond groves and the almonds were in bloom and I just though “wow, I am really happy right now, this really makes me happy.” I had a similar moment just recently at the last NICA race of the season: I was saying goodbye to all my friends and making plans to meet up and ride etc. and I just realized what an amazing community I had found and how it was the first place I ever really fit in.

What was the hardest part?

Finding people my age to ride with and figuring out my love/hate (more on the hate side) relationship with racing.

What made you choose to focus on MTB?

I live in central PA which is maybe the best place to mountain bike in the country! I know it isn’t actually the best but it is really rocky and technical and just really fun and challenging to ride. There are also miles and miles of singletrack so sometimes you find a trail that that you didn’t even know existed.

What was the best tip or trick you’ve ever been told?

Get out of the saddle

Proudest accomplishment so far?

I try really hard to be a good role model for younger riders. Lately at the races I have had a lot of interactions with younger riders, especially girls that have encouraged me a lot. One that stuck out was at the second race of the season. I had a huge lead and I felt great but of course, halfway through my third lap (of 4) I got a flat. This meant I had to run the rest of the lap to reach the time cut off and then eventually, after trying and failing to fix my bike, I finished my race on my mom’s. I was proud of myself but still upset that it hadn’t gone how I had planned. A bit after I had finished, one of the parents from my team came up and said, “I was waiting by the finish when you came running through and this little girl next to me says, “Man! Luly is a beast!” That just made me feel really proud and happy knowing that I was someone younger girls could look up to.

Goals in cycling?

Well, to do the TranSylvania Epic race, maybe eventually the Wilderness 101 race-wise. In general though, I want to get more involved with the NICA GRiT program (hopefully at the national level) as well as try longer distance bike packing.

Advice for younger girls interested in riding?

It may seem like you are the only girl in your area who rides, but there is a whole world out there of other girls and other people who shred and if you are just patient you will find the ones that you fit in with.

Also, don’t wear underwear with your chamois.

As part of NICA GRiT program/having gone to the camp—what has having the GRiT program around done for you?

It has given me a community, a place to grow as a biker and as a person as well as a place for me to give back. Mountain biking gives me so much and I want to try and give that same thing to others, especially girls.

I know you did some bikepacking with your family—any good tips for bikepacking?

Again, don’t wear underwear under your chamois and bring a friend if possible(spending a week not talking to anyone but your family(no matter how awesome they are) can get pretty loopy.

Follow more of Luly’s adventures on Instagram at @4thbrain … and make sure you’re following @Shred.Girls too!